Elizabeth Ibanda-Nahamya, one of the judges on the bench trying Felicien Kabuga has passed on, the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) has announced.

The 70-year-old Ugandan died on Thursday, January 5.

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"The international legal community is losing an accomplished, savvy, and committed Judge with a passion for International Criminal Law, Human Rights, and International Humanitarian Law,” said Judge Graciela Gatti Santana, President of the IRMCT.

"Not only was she a fierce advocate for empowering women, which is of vital importance in the field of international justice, but she was also keenly aware of the need to mentor and give a hand up to those following in her footsteps,” she added.

Judge Ibanda-Nahamya was sworn in as a Judge of the IRMCT in March 2018 and served on several important matters including the ongoing Kabuga case.

Also read: Genocide: Kabuga provided vehicles to dump bodies – witness

She was among the judges who handled the appeal in the case of Ratko Mladić, a Bosnian-Serb military general who was found guilty of committing war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in the former Yugoslavia.

Ibanda-Nahamya began her trailblazing career in Uganda, where she participated as a researcher for Uganda’s Constituent Assembly, acted as legal advisor to the Women Caucus of Uganda’s Constituent Assembly, and contributed to Uganda’s 1995 Constitution.

Her legacy in her home country also includes spearheading the establishment of Transparency Uganda, an anti-corruption NGO, and founding a successful law firm whose work supported indigent citizens, particularly women and children.

Before her appointment to the IRMCT, Ibanda-Nahamya served as a Judge of the International Crimes Division of the High Court of Uganda and as a Judge, and Vice-President, of the Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone.

She also held important roles as the Principal Defender at the Special Court for Sierra Leone and as the Trial Chamber Coordinator at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

Upon learning of the news, her colleagues on the bench of the trial chamber in the case against Kabuga indicated that they "were mourning the untimely death of their distinguished and much respected colleague."

"Judge Ibanda-Nahamya’s personal enthusiasm and invaluable contribution to the work of the Chamber over the last two years will be greatly missed,” read a statement from the IRMCT.

In her honour, the IRMCT is flying the flag of the United Nations at half-mast at both of its branches in The Hague and Arusha.

Books of condolences for Judge Ibanda-Nahamya will be open for signatures at The Hague and Arusha branches of the Mechanism from January 9 to January 18, the IRMCT statement added.